★ Spectacular Abdera Tetradrachm ★

THRACE. Abdera. Circa 411/0-386/5 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 12.37 g, 12 h). ΑΒΔΗ Griffin seated to left, with his wings slightly spread; to left, cicada seen from above. Rev. ΕΠΙ ΦΙΛΑ-ΔΟΣ Herakles, his torso turned slightly to his left and his head facing the viewer, seated to left on a rock covered by a lion's skin; holding a club, resting on his right knee, with his right hand and resting his left in his lap; all within a shallow incuse square. AMNG 105. May, Abdera - (A277/P319, unlisted combination). Chryssantaki-Nagle pl. 8, 6. A beautiful coin! Old cabinet toning and with a wonderful depiction of the old, weary and saddened Herakles. Extremely fine.

From a European collection, ex Künker 376, 18 October 2022, 4010, Hess-Divo 310, 22 October 2008, 61, and Numismatica Ars Classica 1, 29 March 1989, 127.

This coin shows the great ability of the artist/engraver who made the dies. He portrayed a markedly weary and subdued Herakles: he is mourning the loss of his companion Abderos, together with whom he managed to capture the Horses of Diomedes; thus, completing his 7th labor. In the process, Abderos was killed by those horses; in his memory, Herakles decided to found a city bearing his friends name. On this coin, the founding myth of Abdera is so well-depicted by the artist who engraved the die, that we can share with Herakles his powerful feelings of pathos and empathy.